The Fast, as Taught by Holy Lore

The fast

as taught by ho­ly lore

We keep in so­lemn course once more;

The fast to all men known

and bound

In for­ty days of year­ly round.

The law and seers that were of old

In di­vers ways this Lent fore­told

Which Christ

all sea­sons’ king and guide

In af­ter ag­es sanc­ti­fied.

More spar­ing there­fore let us make

The words we speak

the food we take

Our sleep and mirth

and clos­er barred

Be ev­ery sense in ho­ly guard.

In pray­er to­ge­ther let us fall

And cry for mer­cy

one and all

And weep be­fore the Judge’s feet

And His aveng­ing wrath en­treat.

Thy grace have we of­fend­ed sore

By sins

O God

which we de­plore;

But pour up­on us from on high

O par­don­ing One

Thy cle­men­cy.

Remember Thou

though frail we be

That yet Thine han­di­work are we;

Nor let the hon­or of Thy name

Be by ano­ther put to shame.

Forgive the sin that we have wrought;

Increase the good that we have sought;

That we at length

our wan­der­ings o’er

May please Thee here and ev­er­more.

We pray Thee

ho­ly Tri­ni­ty

One God

un­chang­ing Uni­ty

That we from this our ab­sti­nence

May reap the fruits of pe­ni­tence.